Audi confident after outperforming rivals in 2015

German automaker Audi is primed to secure its lead in China's premium car segment in 2016 with a range of strategies aimed at enhancing product quality and customer experience.

Audi again topped the list of premium carmakers in the Chinese market by selling 567,888 cars in 2015, nearly a third of the total number of premium cars sold in the country.

"The passenger car market met with unprecedented difficulties but we faced up to the challenges, did our job in a practical and solid way, and focused on qualitative growth ... Audi sales provided a strong boost to our steady performance in 2015," said Zhang Pijie, director and president of FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co Ltd.

Ge Shuwen, executive vice president of FAW-VW Audi sales division, said last year was difficult and complicated for the premium car sector, but Audi stabilized its sales volume and focused more on the quality of its vehicles.

"That enabled us to keep the lead," he added.

Audi outperformed its rivals in both sales and services last year. It outsold its nearest rival by 130,000 units in 2015 and it has ranked first for 17 consecutive years on J.D. Power's survey of customer satisfaction in sales and after-sales services.

Ge said Audi also tops the premium car sector in customer loyalty, citing survey results that said about 27.8 percent of buyers of Audi vehicles had previously owned an Audi.

Looking forward, Zhang said the marque will build on its achievements in 2015 to further consolidate its leadership in China, with noticeable improvements ranging from products to customer experience.

Three-prong strategy

Michael-Julius Renz, president of FAW-VW Audi sales division, said a three-prong strategy that consists of youth-oriented products, digital technologies and sustainable solutions will enhance Audi's advantage in the premium car segment.

Audi introduces specialized models that appeal to adventurous and pioneering customers born in the 1980s and 1990s, who now account for 32 percent of its customers. This has helped it build its brand image.

"Audi car owners in China are on average some 20 years younger than those in Europe and the United States. Our communications events should be oriented to young people," said Renz.

Renz said Audi will further clarify its brand image so that Chinese customers will better understand the marque.

"It is sensational, young, pioneering and progressive," said Renz of the brand.

He said the lineup will feature more models that appeal to young customers. He added that the Audi A3, introduced last year, was the most popular model in its segment and that the RS 6 Avant will hit the Chinese market later this year.

With these new models, Audi expects to sell even more vehicles this year.

Audi said it will strengthen its efforts to create new digital technologies this year to meet rising demands in China.

China has about 668 million Internet users, about half of its population, which shows that the Chinese consumers are ready for more digital technologies, said Renz.

He said Audi has done a lot of work to better connect with consumers, adding that some elements of its virtual cockpit will feature the new Q7 and A4.

Renz said Audi will sharpen its digital technologies and cut the time required to install its technological innovations in models.

Ge said digital technology should help realize continuous and effective communication with customers and more importantly create value for them.

He said Audi is preparing to launch an app that covers a variety of services, from buying a car to maintaining or even selling one.

"Today, about 10,000 apps are created every day but 9,900 are also abandoned. So how should Audi's app survive? An important thing is that consumers feel it is valuable and useful," Ge said.

Renz said Audi is planning to launch more new-energy vehicles this year and beyond that.

"Sustainable development is a crucial task. In China, people are more concerned about environmental protection and the government is promulgating favorable policies for new-energy vehicles," said Renz.

"Audi e-tron is the most practical new-energy solution as the plug-in hybrid technology cuts emissions while ensuring excellent driving experiences."

Audi launched the A3 e-tron last year as the first model in the lineup of new-energy vehicles. It plans to unveil more models this year, such as the Q7 e-tron and A6L e-tron.

The automaker said the A6L e-tron will mark "a giant step for Audi" in the Chinese new-energy vehicle market because the car was designed especially for the Chinese market and developed by German and Chinese teams.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/29/2016 page7)